Coach James Hird worked closely with controversial sports scientist Steve Dank on the supplements regime implemented at the Essendon football club last year, according to new information obtained by the ABC.

The ABC's 7.30 program has exclusively revealed that in the lead-up to and during the 2012 season, Hird and Dank worked hand-in-hand on the supplements regime, in which players were administered a range of substances including some that were injected intravenously.

The ABC has obtained records that show Hird and Dank repeatedly discussed details of the substances, the timetable for them to be administered and the players to whom they were given.

In February, 7.30 aired claims by Dank that Essendon coaches and staff were also on their own separate supplements and peptides regime - with some using prohibited drugs.

In that interview, Dank claimed officials and coaching staff at Essendon were fully aware of his supplements program for players.

7.30 has months' worth of text messages between the Bombers coach and Dank which back claims Hird had an intimate knowledge of the controversial supplement regime.

In March last year Hird sent Dank a text saying: "Good work today mate, the boys were up and about. We have a lot to work with."

Dank replied: "Start next week. And Thymosin with Uniquinone. We will start to see some real effects"

The texts revealed so far do not substantiate claims Hird himself used the drugs, or whether they were banned substances.

Hird has maintained his innocence since the scandal broke.

A Fairfax report today alleged Dank injected Hird with the peptide known as hexarelin, a synthetic peptide which promotes the release of human growth hormone.

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) register shows hexarelin is banned for athletes. However, the substance is not prohibited for coaches.

Dank was not available for an on-camera interview with 7.30, but he said that he injected Hird with hexarelin twice weekly for three quarters of the season.

He also said that on game day, inside the coach's box, he provided some coaches with ephedrine and propranolol - supplements designed to decrease anxiety and increase alertness.

Players' program

According to information obtained by 7:30, supplements were administered to the players at a now-defunct clinic, Skinovate, located conveniently opposite the Bombers' headquarters at Windy Hill.

Dank has also told 7:30 all the supplements he gave to players were not prohibited or banned at the time.

The texts show almost the entire playing group were on the supplements program. They also show which supplements the players were being given.

One of those was cerebrolysin, a neurological treatment made from pig brain proteins designed to enhance cognitive function.

One text to Hird suggests Essendon was considering investing in the anti-obesity drug AOD9604, which Dank was giving to players.

The drug is not currently banned by ASADA, but the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) has recently advised it should be prohibited.

'Disturbing'

Former head of ASADA Richard Ings described the text messages as disturbing, saying that just because the substances were not illegal, doesn't mean the method of delivery was not banned.

"There are banned substances, but there are also banned methods and the use of intravenous injections could potentially be such a banned method," he said.

Ings said he did not want be drawn on the allegations against Hird, but insisted any incidence of a coach using banned substances is a conflict of interest.

"What is clear is that coaches should not be involved in any way, shape or form with the use or the promotion of prohibited substances. It is a conflict of interests with their players," he said.

"Under the world-anti doping code and the AFL anti-doping policy, it's not prohibited for coaches to be involved in using banned substances.

"But coaches are in positions of trust and also positions of influence with their players. It's difficult for a coach to tell their players they cannot use banned substances and then be using those same banned substances themselves."

The latest twist in the scandal for Essendon comes just hours after AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou fronted the media to insist Hird was innocent until proven guilty.

The Essendon board says it will not be making any decisions over today's allegations and stressed that the parties involved had the right to natural justice.

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Association launched an investigation in February into Essendon and the AFL over concerns supplements were being supplied to players last year.